SI SA KET: A man who won a six million baht lottery prize in June has been arrested after his mother told police her son had since become a crazed drug addict.
Kom Poka, 56, asked police to arrest her 32-year-old son, Chainarong Poka.
She said he went on a destructive drug-fuelled rampage and tried to burn their house down, according to Pol Lt Col Prayong Janchin, inspector of Khukhan police station.
The blaze was put out with the help of relatives and neighbours.
Mr Chainarong was arrested and found to be in possession of 20 methamphetamine tablets, Pol Lt Col Prayong said. His urine tested positive for drug use.
Mr Chainarong said he had acted under the influence of the drug and was now sorry for what he did to his mother, according to police.
Ms Kom said her son won the lottery while he was working as a labourer at a construction site in Bangkok.
He returned home with the money and kept it all for himself, buying a pickup and other goods. However, he also soon became addicted to drugs, she said.
Her son had frittered away the 6 million baht. There was now less than 200,000 baht left, she said.